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Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science

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Lithuanian Catholic Academy of Science (Lithuanian: Lietuvių katalikų mokslo akademija or LKMA) is an academic organization (academy of sciences) established in 1922 in Kaunas, Lithuania. It unites Catholic scientists from various fields, from humanities to astrophysics, and promotes academic research, organizes academic conferences (including general conference every three years), publishes academic literature. Its most active section is devoted to history, and in particular to the history of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. Other active sections include those devoted to humanities, education, and medicine. In 1922–2008, LKMA elected a total of 60 true academic members. Its main academic journals are LKMA suvažiavimo darbai (Works of LKMA Conferences), LKMA metraštis (LKMA Chronicle), and Bažnyčios istorijos studijos (Studies of the History of the Church).

During the interwar years, it was most active in providing scholarships to students, organizing three general conferences in 1933, 1936, and 1939, and compiling a biographical dictionary (unpublished). It was abolished in 1940 after the Soviet occupation. As many Lithuanian intellectuals fled abroad in 1944, LKMA was reestablished in Rome in 1956. Twelve local chapters were organized in United States, Canada, and Germany. LKMA resumed organizing general conferences every three years and began publishing academic monographs and journals – a total of 52 publications. In 1973, it took over the American Lithuanian Cultural Archives (ALKA) in Putnam, Connecticut. LKMA was reestablished in Lithuania in 1990 and officially moved its headquarters to Vilnius in 1992. It officially joined the Pax Romana federation in 1993. LKMA continues to organize various conferences and publish academic monographs and journals – approximately 130 publications were published between 1990 and 2020.

History

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Establishment

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Various Russification policies were relaxed in 1904 and Lithuanian clergy organized societies Saulė in Kovno Governorate, Žiburys in the Suwałki Governorate, and Rytas in the Vilna Governorate to fund and operate Lithuanian schools.[1] In 1907, Pope Pius X published encyclical Pascendi dominici gregis in which, among other things, he announced the establishment of the International Catholic Scientific Association.[2] Lithuanian clergy, in particular Pranciškus Būčys and Adomas Dambrauskas-Jakštas, discussed in Draugija whether to join this new organization with the Lithuanian Scientific Society or to establish a separate Catholic organization.[3] However, the International Catholic Scientific Association never materialized[2] and Lithuanian plans were postponed due to World War I to 1922. The University of Lithuania with a Faculty of Theology and Philosophy was established in February 1922.[4] LKMA registered its charter on 12 August 1922 and called the founding meeting on 22 October 1922.[5] The meeting elected its first board: chairman Juozapas Skvireckas, vice-chairmen Pranas Dovydaitis and Stasys Šalkauskis, secretary Mečislovas Reinys.[5]

Independent Lithuania

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By 1924, LKMA had 60 members who organized private gatherings two or three times a year.[5] Initially, the academy focused on supporting gifted Lithuanian students. Its scholarship fund was established with a donation of $42,500 (equivalent to $773,618 in 2023) from the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Federation of America [lt].[6] It was later replenished by repayments by former scholarship recipients of the Motinėlė Society. Among the supported students were Juozas Ambrazevičius-Brazaitis, Pranas Dielininkaitis [lt], Zenonas Ivinskis, Antanas Maceina, Antanas Salys [lt], Antanas Vaičiulaitis, Adolfas Damušis [lt], Juozas Girnius, Stasys Antanas Bačkis.[5] LKMA received another approximately $50,000 that was collected from Lithuanian Americans in hopes of establishing a Catholic university.[7]

LKMA organized a library. Though plans to merge it with the libraries of the Kaunas Priest Seminary and of the Archdiocese of Kaunas were not realized, the library contained 12,000 volumes by 1940.[8] In 1927, Dambrauskas-Jakštas initiated the compilation of a biographical dictionary of famous Lithuanians, regardless of religious or political beliefs. In total, 2,638 biographies or five volumes were prepared, but they were not published due to the Soviet occupation.[8] Only one volume Užgesę žiburiai (Extinguished Lights), edited by Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, with 22 biographies of Lithuanians and 14 biographies of non-Lithuanians, was published in 1930.[9] LKMA collaborated in preparing Lietuviškoji enciklopedija, the first Lithuanian encyclopedia.[9] Starting in 1924, LKMA members organized public lectures and later published their texts in Catholic-minded periodicals.[8] Overall, the academy was not very active in the 1920s as many of its members worked at or were involved with other Catholic organizations, including the Priest Seminary and the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy.[8]

LKMA became more active in the 1930s when the authoritarian regime of President Antanas Smetona and his Lithuanian Nationalist Union began suppressing its opponents, including the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party and other Catholic groups. Among other things, the government dismissed 18 professors from the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy in 1931[10] and blocked plans for a Catholic university in 1932.[11][12] LKMA began the process of separating amateur science enthusiasts from professional academics and started organizing its conferences every three years. They took place in 1933, 1936, and 1939, featured 26–31 presentations, and were attended by 300–550 people.[13] The conferences were accompanied by exhibitions, concerts, tributes to famous Lithuanians (such as Maironis or Vaižgantas).[13] During the conference, academics worked in various specialized sections (such as history, law, literature and art, medicine) with hopes that these sections would grow into separate institutes.[14] A women's section was organized during the first and the second conferences.[15]

Exile

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LKMA was disestablished on 10 August 1940, a month after the Soviet occupation, and its property transferred to the Ministry of Education.[16] In 1944, many prominent Lithuanian intellectuals retreated west ahead of the approaching Red Army. They reestablished many Lithuanian organizations and publications. The idea of reestablishing LKMA was first proposed by Stasys Antanas Bačkis in June 1952.[17] He suggested to base the academy in Rome where Lithuanians already had the College of St. Casimir. He was supported by historian Zenonas Ivinskis and priest Antanas Liuima [lt], professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University.[17] The reestablishment of LKMA was officially announced on 16 February 1955. Its board was elected in January 1956 and the academy was officially registered with the Italian authorities on 9 October 1956.[17] Liuima became an ideological leader and long-term chairman of LKMA. The academy organized chapters where at least five LKMA members lived.[18] The first such chapter was organized in Chicago based on a Lithuanian scientific study club.[19] In total, there were twelve chapters: Chicago (established in 1956), New York (1962), Boston (1963), Detroit (1964), Montreal (1964), Toronto (1964), Dayton (1965), Munich (1966), Ottawa (1970), Putnam (1971), St. Pete Beach (1981), Los Angeles (1983).[20]

The academy resumed organizing its conferences, held every three years in different locations in Europe and North America.[21] The conferences struggled to reconcile LKMA's academic mission and the need to engage and educate the wider Lithuanian diaspora.[22] The conferences were also cultural events – they were accompanied by exhibitions (e.g. of historical maps of Lithuanian, philately, numismatics), concerts, commemorations of historical anniversaries (e.g. 100th anniversary of the Lithuanian press ban, 550th anniversary of the Diocese of Samogitia, 400th anniversary of Vilnius University).[23] As during pre-war conferences, academics worked in various sections, including language and literature, art and architecture, medicine. The largest and most active was the history section. Other larger sections were devoted to philosophy and theology.[24] The history section organized three public events to commemorate the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, book smuggler Petras Kriaučiūnas, and poet Antanas Baranauskas.[24]

LKMA published a total of 52 publications,[25] including six biographies (including of bishops Teofilius Matulionis and Vincentas Borisevičius), monographs on the history of the church in Lithuania (on the foundation of the Vilnius University, on the worship of Mary, mother of Jesus in Lithuania), studies on Lithuanian literature, and collected works of historians Zenonas Ivinskis and Konstantinas Avižonis [lt], linguist Antanas Salys [lt], philosopher Stasys Šalkauskis.[9] The academy published four volumes of Fontes Historiae Lithuanie – a valuable collection of primary documents related to ad limina visits of Lithuanian bishops and to the Diocese of Samogitia.[26] It published eleven volumes of works presented at its conferences in LKMA suvažiavimo darbai (Works of LKMA Conferences). In total, these volumes contained 209 academic articles by 131 authors (among them, 12 women).[27] The articles were published on various topics, not only on theology or Lithuanian language and history, but also on chemistry, medicine, sociology, technology, archaeology, etc. Other articles were biographies or obituaries of famous Lithuanians.[28] In addition, the academy published six volumes of LKMA metraštis (LKMA Chronicle) in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1984. In total, the Chronicle contained 22 articles (19 of them on history) and 15 obituaries.[26] Most of these publications were initiated, proofread, and edited by the long-term chairman of LKMA priest Antanas Liuima [lt].[29] Members of LKMA actively participated in the publication of the 35-volume Lietuvių enciklopedija published in Boston.[29]

In 1958, LKMA organized a commission to publish popular religious literature, but when the plan failed priest Vytautas Balčiūnas organized the publication of the Krikščionis gyvenime (A Christian in Life) series. In 1974, LKMA took over the series.[30] In total, 28 volumes were published. LKMA cared to preserve various Lithuanian archives. In 1973, it took over the American Lithuanian Cultural Archives (ALKA) in Putnam, Connecticut and reconstructed its premises in 1978–1980. Separately it acquired and preserved archives of Zenonas Ivinskis, Stasys Raštikis, Lithuanian student societies at the Swiss University of Fribourg.[30] Even though many members of LKMA were active in various international organizations, LKMA did not join any of them.[23][31]

Return to Lithuania

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The idea to reestablish LKMA in Lithuania was raised in November 1989 during the organizational conference of the Catholic Youth Federation Ateitis.[23] Priest Jonas Boruta [lt] was one of the most active advocates for the reestablishment. Already in February 1990, even before Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union, LKMA organized a meeting at Vilnius University attended by 250 people. Its statute was registered with the Lithuanian authorities on 8 May 1990.[32] Its next conference was held in Vilnius in 1991, but it was attended by very few LKMA members from abroad.[33] The organization officially returned to Lithuania in 1992 when it elected a new board from members living in Lithuania.[32] It officially joined the Pax Romana federation in 1993 and the Commission Internationale d'Histoire Ecclésiastique Comparée (CIHEC) in 2011.[34]

LKMA continued the tradition of local chapters, this time established in various Lithuanian cities, but only Vilnius, Klaipėda, and Šiauliai chapters were more active.[35] Most active LKMA sections were those devoted to history, humanities, education, and medicine. The history section published a comprehensive collective monograph on the history of the Catholic Church in Lithuania in 2006.[36] The humanities section established a separate institute under LKMA in 2007. The medicine section helped to popularize the updated Hippocratic Oath among Lithuanian doctors.[37] After a critical evaluation of its mission and situation in 2010, LKMA decided to concentrate on humanities and in particular on the studies of the Catholic Church in Lithuania – in essence abandoning claims that it is an academy of science and recognizing that it became a more specialized research institute.[38]

LKMA continues to publish academic journals and separate monographs. It continues to publish papers presented in its general conferences in LKMA suvažiavimo darbai. It reestablished LKMA metraštis which is published regularly every year.[34] The history section established Bažnyčios istorijos studijos (Studies of the History of the Church) and published 8 volumes by 2016. It also continues the publication of primary documents in the Fontes Historiae Lithuanie series.[34] In total, as of 2008, LKMA published 154 works.[39]

In addition to its general conferences held every three years, LKMA also organizes various specialized academic conferences. For example, it held a conference on Lithuanian–Jewish relations in 1998, bishop Motiejus Valančius in 2001, Polish philosopher Marian Zdziechowski in 2008, Saint Bruno of Querfurt in 2009.[40] Until 2008, LKMA maintained a library in Kaunas. It was liquidated when the Archdiocese of Kaunas terminated the lease of the premises with the Vytautas Magnus University. Part of the collection was transferred to the university, while the rest was transferred to the headquarters in Vilnius.[36] Since 2003, LKMA is headquartered on Pilies Street in Vilnius in a former bishop's apartment where bishops Jurgis Matulaitis and Mečislovas Reinys used to live.[36]

Conferences

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No. Date[21] Location
I 1933 Kaunas, Lithuania
II 1936 Kaunas, Lithuania
III 1939 Kaunas, Lithuania
IV 2–4 October 1957 Rome, Italy
V 1–3 September 1961 Chicago, U.S.
VI 5–7 September 1964 New York, U.S.
VII 23–27 August 1967 Lampertheim, Germany
VIII 1–6 September 1970 Toronto, Canada
IX 31 August – 2 September 1979 Boston, U.S.
X 24–28 November 1976 Southfield, U.S.
XI 31 August – 3 September 1979 Chicago, U.S.
XII 24–28 November 1982 St. Pete Beach, U.S.
XIII 26–29 December 1985 Los Angeles, U.S.
XIV 3–6 October 1988 Rome, Italy
XV 9–16 June 1991[32] Vilnius, Lithuania
XVI 1994[41] Kaunas, Lithuania
XVII 1997[41] Vilnius, Lithuania
XVIII 28 June – 1 July 2000[41] Klaipėda, Lithuania
XIX 25–27 June 2003[42] Šiauliai, Lithuania
XX 30 June – 1 July 2006[43] Vilnius, Lithuania
XXI 26–29 June 2009[44] Vilnius, Lithuania
XXII 23–24 March 2012[20] Vilnius, Lithuania
XXIII 29 June 2015[45] Vilnius, Lithuania
XXIV 19 June 2018 Vilnius, Lithuania
XXV 3 November 2020 Vilnius, Lithuania

Members

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LKMA has four categories of members: true academic members (accomplished scientists elected by other true members), members, assistant members (those without academic degrees), and honorary members. It had 85 members in 1956, 188 in 1965, 226 in 1977, 263 in 1985, about 600 in 2001,[15] about 300 in 2008.[39] In 1922–2020, LKMA elected a total of 60 true academic members. Sofija Kanopkaitė and Angelė Vyšniauskaitė became the first women to become true members in 2000.[15] Since 2001, board members are elected for six-year terms instead of earlier three-year terms.[46]

Chairs

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LKMA was chaired by:[39]

True academic members

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Name[47] Field of study Date of membership
Vytautas Ališauskas[48] History 2015
Juozas Ambrazevičius-Brazaitis Philology 1939–1974
Vanda Aramavičiūtė Educology 2006–2017
Audrys Juozas Bačkis Canon law 2003
Darius Baronas[48] History 2015
Jonas Boruta Physics 1997
Vilmantė Borutaitė Biochemistry 2020
Pranciškus Būčys Theology 1936–1951
Blažiejus Česnys Theology 1936–1944
Adolfas Damušis Chemistry 1964–2003
Pranas Dovydaitis Law, philosophy 1933–1942
Juozas Eretas Philology 1936–1984
Danutė Gailienė Psychology 2009
Juozas Girnius Philosophy 1964–1994
Kęstutis K. Girnius Philosophy 2000
Julijonas Gravrogkas Engineering 1959–1968
Bronius Grigelionis Mathematics 1991–2014
Jonas Grinius Philology 1959–1980
Gintaras Grušas[48] Canon law 2015
Stasys Yla Theology 1961–1983
Zenonas Ivinskis History 1939–1971
Antanas Dambrauskas - Adomas Jakštas Theology-philosophy 1933–1938
Juozas Jakštas History 1970–1989
Liudas Jovaiša History 2009
Mečislovas Jučas History 2006–2019
Sofija Kanopkaitė Biochemistry 2000
Kazys Napaleonas Kitkauskas Architecture 2006
Antanas Klimas Philology 1970–2016
Antanas Kučinskas History 1970–1988
Vytautas Landsbergis Musicology 1997
Antanas Liuima Theology 1959–2000
Antanas Maceina Philosophy 1961–1987
Irena Regina Merkienė Ethnology 2006
Vytautas Merkys History 2003–2012
Guido Michelini Philology 2009
Vacys Milius Ethnography 1997–2005
Juozas Leonas Navickas Philosophy 1970–1998
Kazys Pakštas Geography 1939–1960
Antanas Paškus-Paškevičius Psychology, philosophy 1961–2008
Vytautas Pavilanis Medicine 1970–2006
Justinas Pikūnas Psychology 1961–2018
Aldona Prašmantaitė History 2006
Paulius Rabikauskas History 1961–1998
Arvydas Ramonas Theology 2009
Mečislovas Reinys Philosophy 1939–1953
Povilas Rėklaitis Art history 1970–1999
Antanas Rubšys Theology 1961–2002
Antanas Salys Philology 1959–1972
Alfred Erich Senn Philology 1964–1978
Arūnas Streikus History 2009
Paulius V. Subačius Philology 2006
Simas Sužiedėlis History 1961–1985
Stasys Šalkauskis Philosophy 1933–1941
Antanas Tyla History 1991–2018
Giedrius Uždavinys Medicine 1991
Mikas Vaicekauskas Philology 2020
Stasys Vaitekūnas Geography 2006–2016
Vytautas Vardys Political science 1970–1993
Angelė Vyšniauskaitė Ethnography 2000–2006
Romualdas Zalubas Astrophysics 1959–2003
Zigmas Zinkevičius Philology 1991–2018
Vanda Žekonienė Agronomy 2003

Honorary members

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LKMA had seven honorary members.[15] LKMA honorary members were:

References

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  1. ^ Virvičienė 2013.
  2. ^ a b Rigal-Cellard 2010, p. 824.
  3. ^ Bloznelis 2003, p. 134.
  4. ^ Bloznelis 2003, p. 135.
  5. ^ a b c d Labanauskas 2012, p. 12.
  6. ^ Bloznelis 2003, pp. 135–136.
  7. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 92.
  8. ^ a b c d Labanauskas 2012, p. 13.
  9. ^ a b c Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 183.
  10. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 97.
  11. ^ Labanauskas 2012, pp. 13–14.
  12. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 99.
  13. ^ a b Labanauskas 2012, p. 14.
  14. ^ Labanauskas 2012, p. 16.
  15. ^ a b c d e Vasiliauskienė 2001.
  16. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 101.
  17. ^ a b c Labanauskas 2012, p. 19.
  18. ^ Labanauskas 2012, p. 20.
  19. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 110.
  20. ^ a b Vasiliauskienė 2012a.
  21. ^ a b Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 180.
  22. ^ Labanauskas 2012, p. 22.
  23. ^ a b c Labanauskas 2012, p. 25.
  24. ^ a b Labanauskas 2012, p. 23.
  25. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 177.
  26. ^ a b Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 182.
  27. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 179.
  28. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2009, pp. 179, 181.
  29. ^ a b c d e Vasiliauskienė 2009, p. 184.
  30. ^ a b Labanauskas 2012, p. 21.
  31. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 117.
  32. ^ a b c Labanauskas 2012, p. 26.
  33. ^ Bloznelis 2003, p. 139.
  34. ^ a b c Labanauskas 2012, p. 29.
  35. ^ Labanauskas 2012, p. 30.
  36. ^ a b c Labanauskas 2012, p. 27.
  37. ^ Labanauskas 2012, p. 28.
  38. ^ Labanauskas 2012, pp. 31–32.
  39. ^ a b c Vasiliauskienė 2008.
  40. ^ Labanauskas 2012, pp. 28–29.
  41. ^ a b c Vasiliauskienė 2000.
  42. ^ Lietuvių katalikų mokslo akademija 2003.
  43. ^ Urbonienė 2007, p. 194.
  44. ^ Mačiūnas 2009.
  45. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2015.
  46. ^ Vasiliauskienė 2003, p. 119.
  47. ^ Labanauskas 2012, pp. 255–256.
  48. ^ a b c Lietuvių katalikų mokslo akademija 2015.
  49. ^ a b c Vasiliauskienė 2012b, p. 68.
  50. ^ Miklas 2002, p. 107.
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Bibliography

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